Robert k



sept. 4, 1928. 1,888,039

R. K. JACK ENGINE Filed June 25, 1926 Patentecl Sept. el, 1928.

UNITED s'rArl-:s

ROBERT PATENT OFFICE.

.'K. JACYMOF LANSING, IVIICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL MOTORS CORPORA-TION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ENGINE.

Application filed June 25, 1926.

This invention relates to engines particularly of the internalcombustion type having crankcases provided with means for passing an airstream therethrough for effect-ing evaporation of diluents from thecrankcase oil and incidentally aslight cooling' of the engine. In theoperation of engines so equipped it has been found that the stream ofair in its passage through the crank case entrains with it fineparticles of oil. VVhere the crankcase vapors are led to the carburetorto form the combustible"1nixture, these oil particles upon condensationcollect upon the needle valve and other parts with which they come incon- 'I tact and are likely to clog` the fine passages and to someextent gum up moving parts. To obviate this difliculty, I employ aseparator to remove particles of oil from the vapors issuing from thecrankcase. While this separator may be positioned wherever desired inthe passage leading from the crankcase to the carburetor, I havepreferred to locate it adjacent the crankcase, preferably upon the coverfor the valve chamber which, in present day engines, sin directcommunication with the crankcase. I have'also preferably so clesigned myseparator as to provide for the re-` turn of oil part-icles to thecrankcase.

Referrng to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of `an automobile engine with my deviceapplied thereto.

F igure 2 is a partial Vertical section through the engine, theSeparator being shown in section on the line 2-2 of Figure 3 :but inreversed relation to the engine to better illustrate the construction.

Figure 3 is a horzontal section through the cleaner and a portion of thevalve cover.

The reference character 2 indicates a conventional type of internalcombust-ion engine having a crankcase 4. Vhile this invention i p isapplicable to any of the various types of engines I have chosen toillu-strate an engine of the L-head type in which the valve compartment6 is at one side of the cylinders 87 this compartment housing the valvestems and tappets in the usual manner and having communication with thecrankcase through the usual openings 7 through which the valve tappetguides pass. The engine is provided with a conventional carburetor 10drawing part of its air supply from the crankcase through conduit 12,oil Separator 14, and valve compartment 6, and the remainder throughcon- Serial No. 118,513.

studs 22. One of these covers is apertured at` 24 and in the opening isfitted the tangentially arranged intake passage 28 of the oil separator.This separator is preferably in .the form of a cylinder 30 having endclosures 31 and 32 and provided with a substantially centrally arrangedstand-pipe 33 which is in communication with the conduit 12 leading tothe carburetor. This Stand-pipe is provided with an opening spaced fromthe bottom closu1'e`32 of the Separator and establishing communicationbetween the interior of the Separator and the stand-pipe.

Upon the interior of the valve cover 20 I have provided baflie plate 88,preferably louvered as at40, this battle serving to effect a partialseparation of 011 part-icles from the lssuing air stream.

In the operation of the device clean air t supplied to thecrankcase'through the air Cleaner 18 and conduit 16 mingles with `theoil and oil vapors in the crankcas'e and' effects evaporation ofdiluents. The resulting mixture passes into valve compartment 'throughopening 7 and thence through louvers40 into the tangentially arrangedpassage 28 leading to the oil Separator. T'he effect of the tangentialarrangement of passage 28 is to impart to the entering air stream awhirling motion which results in the projeetion of particles of oilagainst the outer walls of the Separator on which they collectand-trickle down upon the bottom 32 of the Separator and eventually findtheir way through passage 28 to the valve chamber and crankcase. Theportion 30 of the spiral passage surrounding the stand-pipe 33 forms aneffective trap for the collection of oil particles. This return flow ofoil usually takes place when the engine comes to rest. The location ofthe opening 34 in the stand-pipe above the bottom 32 of the Separatorprevents the passage of the oollected oil into the conduit 12 leading tothe earburetor. Thezpurified air passes through the opening 34 into thecon duit 12 Where it is joined by air entering through i passage 15,finally entering the carburetor to form thecon-ibustible mixtnre.

The mounting of the oil Separator on the valve compartment is of specialadvantage. In the first place the valve compartment is sulficiently farremoved from the crankoase so that the large` particles of oil do notreach the ontlet. In the second place7 the valve cover isusnally in theform of a light metal stamping and 'it is a very easy matter to se- Cureupon it on one.. side the baflle 88 `andon the otherside the simple formof oil separaf. tor which 'is also preferabl formed'` of Sheet metaldis'closed in this application. Thus any niodifioation of'the'castingsconstituting o the engine is avoided and a satisfactory deviceisjsecured atfi'minimum expense. i

I elaim; p i i I 1. An: internal f combustion engine having a:carbnretor and a crankCaSe, said crankcase having an air admissionopening, a valve Chamber communication With the Crankcase; ineans'forconnection said valve cham-V ber Withthe carbnretor to suppl air to thelatter,'andan oil Separator interposed in said meansf'an'decommunicatingwith said valve. compartment for recervingair therefrom and returni'ngoil thereto.

:2; ,An internal combustion engine having` aiearburetor, crankcase, andcylinders, a valve compartrnent arranged ad] acent the cylinders and' in'commun'cation With the crankoase, a

cover for said valve compartment,` a conduit leading fromsaidcompartment to the carbuf retor'and an oil Separator interposed betweensaidcondu-itland coverand mounted on ,the

2,f saidiseparator being provided wth a tan gentially arranged inlet tovgive a Whirlingv motion tozthelenteringair stream tovseparate oil'pax'tioiles` .therefronin` i o 4.1 An internalV combustion enginehaving;

5. Any internal combustion engine having a.` carburetor and aVcranleaseprovided With an.

air inlet opening, a valve Chamber in communication .With the crankcaseandJ provided. With a cover, a'substantiallyV cylindrical oil Separatormounted on said cover andl pro-V`` vided with a vtangentiallarra-ngedair inletz communicating, With the valve Chamber andV designedto impart a Whirling motion to they`` entering air stream, a stand-pipearranged Within said oil separatorand having a dis' charge orificespaeed above the .bottom of the Separator Whereby` oilv particlesseparated from the air stream collect in thebottom of the Separator andare returned v'to the valve colnpartment, and a conduit conneeting saidstand-p1pe With the carburetor.

6. In the combination as definedin olaim 5, and a bafii'e in the valveChamber extending 'over said air inlet.

7 Aninternal combustlon engine having. a erankcase, means, for admrttlngair to the crank'case, a-valve Chamber in communication With.V thecr'ankcase, lsaid 'chamberbeing provided'with an airroutlet, means forap; plying suction to said.` Outlet to Withdraw vapors from thecrankoase, andfan olvseparator at said Outlet for separating oilV`particles from the dischargingair 'streamvzand returning themv to thevalve Chamber.

8. In the combination asidefinedin` claim 7 ,v said Chamberbeingvprovidedfiwithz a removable cover and said Separator. beingmountedf on said cover. g

In testimony `whereof :I iafiifx; my'- signature.

ROBERTK; JACK;

